Injection

Injection
September | 2013
The magazine from ENGEL for the plastics industry.
Inject the future: ENGEL at K 2013
New applications, efficiency records, world premieres
Page 8
All-electric, highly precise and tie-bar-less
ENGEL e-motion 30 TL extends smaller end of range
Page 13
Intelligent user interfaces of tomorrow
Multifunctional surfaces represent new opportunities
for medical technology
Page 14
Free space fully exploited
Anton reduces unit costs thanks to tie-bar-less
technology
Page 16
CC 300 – the new ENGEL control unit
At K 2013 ENGEL gives an insight into its new control concept
Page 11
be the first.
A warm welcome to K 2013
With 25 machinery exhibits at K 2013 in Düsseldorf, we will be showcasing more applications than ever before at a trade fair: never before
have we presented such a wealth of innovation. The system solutions,
12 of which will appear at our stand in hall 15, will demonstrate process
integration, automation, strong performance, sustainability and process
stability – qualities that add up to unbeatable efficiency that meets
tomorrow’s needs today. Our slogan for K 2013 will be ‘Inject the future’.
Dr. Peter Neumann,
CEO ENGEL Holding
Process integration is the key to greater efficiency – but it is also a
sign of the increasing complexity of manufacturing processes. This
presents new challenges for plastics processing firms such as yours,
which is why we have been addressing the issue. At K 2013 we will
be unveiling the CC 300, the new generation of control units and the
logistical extension of the human/machine interface. From the very
outset we have put the person at the centre, which has led to ideal,
uncompromising functionality. The operation of even highly integrated and automated systems has become much simpler, safer and
user-friendly as a result. We would like to cordially invite you to try the
new control unit for yourself at our stand.
You’ll find we speak your language – not just when it comes to realising your needs and wishes, but also when we meet face to face this
October in Düsseldorf. No other trade fair brings ENGEL and its global
subsidiaries together in one place. Close customer relations are very
important to us, which is why we are continually raising our world-wide
profile while sharpening our focus on the sector. Our appearance at K
2013 will be characterised by originality as we place the spotlight on
the benefits our innovations bring to various sectors.
The steady expansion of our production and sales sites around the
globe calls for the kind of energy that comes naturally to us as a
stable, family-run business; and we intend to stick to our path in the
future. Our aim is to give you the decisive advantage that will set your
company and your products apart from the competition, whether you
do business in Europe, the USA, Asia or elsewhere.
Here’s to a successful K 2013!
IMPRINT
Publisher: ENGEL AUSTRIA GmbH | Ludwig-ENGEL-Straße 1, A-4311 Schwertberg, www.ENGELglobal.com
Editorial team: Susanne Zinckgraf, ENGEL / Gerd Liebig, ENGEL (verantwortlich)
Layout: neudesign – büro für visuelle kommunikation
Injection is the ENGEL customer magazine. It is published regularly in German and English. Articles may be reprinted with the editor’s
consent and reference to source.
NCurrent
ewsEvents
Retrospective
4
ENGEL worldwide. Around the corner.
Fairs, events, projects
7
ENGEL increases its market shares
New 950 million euro turnover record
8
Inject the future: ENGEL at K 2013
New applications, efficiency records, world premieres
11
CC 300 – the new ENGEL control unit
At K 2013 ENGEL gives an insight into its new control concept
12
Maximum performance in a new dimension
ENGEL e-speed for demanding packaging applications
13
All-electric, highly precise and tie-bar-less
ENGEL e-motion 30 TL extends smaller end of range
14
Intelligent user interfaces of tomorrow
Multifunctional surfaces represent new opportunities
16
Free space fully exploited
Anton reduces unit costs thanks to tie-bar-less technology
18
Improved energy balance, optimised workflow
Hadi-Plast invested in four ENGEL victory machines
20
“We discover new potential every day”
Geberit ups efficiency and quality levels with ENGEL e-factory 2
22
Outstanding reproducibility levels included
ENGEL supplies SPLAST with intelligent system solutions
23
The first machine was delivered by horse
Kellpla thanks ENGEL for 55 years of cooperation
­­ENGEL worldwide. around the corner.
Process integration reduces
cost per unit
Chinaplas in Guangzhou
Innovative system solutions for more efficient processes
and a greater competitive advantage were the focus of
the E
­ NGEL trade fair booth at Chinaplas 2013 in May
in Guangzhou. E
­ NGEL was exhibiting four production
cells at the fair to cover a wide range of applications
from high-precision, electronics components, through
thin-wall packaging and health care products made of
liquid silicone through to multifunctional controls for
cars. They clearly showed how process integration,
automation, tie-bar-less technology, compact machines
and energy efficient drive concepts help to substantially
reduce unit costs. “Chinaplas is one of the most important times of the year for us”, says Christian Pum, CSO
of E
­ NGEL Holding. “­ENGEL is seen as a very innovative and experienced system provider and technology
leader in Asia, which is largely confirmed by the ever
rising visitor numbers at our stand at the fair.”
Inauguration ceremony
in Wurmberg
4th E
­ NGEL location in Germany
Mid-April 2013, ­ENGEL inaugurated its new sales and
service subsidiary in Wurmberg near Stuttgart with 130
customers and partners. “Our objective is to establish
ourselves as an information and communication hub
for our customers in South West Germany,” says Claus
Wilde, Head of the new E
­ NGEL Deutschland GmbH
Technologie Forum Stuttgart. The 700 square metre
Technology Centre is the largest of all E
­ NGEL subsidiaries. It has space enough for seven automated production
cells which change to reflect the comprehensive program
of seminars and workshops.
With the new location, right next to the A8 motorway,
­ENGEL has substantially shortened its travel time to
4_ENGEL injection-2013
customers in the Southwest. “Many plastics processors are moving away from standard machines to more
complex and technologically sophisticated system solutions, which means even closer cooperation between
plastics processing companies and systems suppliers,”
says Wilde.
Besides Nuremberg, Hagen and Hanover, the ­ENGEL
Deutschland Technologie Forum Stuttgart is the fourth
­ENGEL subsidiary in Germany. 22 staff for sales and
application technology, training, service and energy consulting are in from the start. In the mid-term, E
­ NGEL seeks
to continue growing in Wurmberg. All told, ­ENGEL invested some 5 million euros in its new location.
“Customer proximity
is becoming increasingly important as a
success factor.”
Claus Wilde, Head of E
­ NGEL
Deutschland Technologie Forum
Stuttgart
The Technology Centre offers space for
seven production
cells and the best
options for networking.
On the industrial estate Dachstein in
Wurmberg, ­ENGEL
has found the perfect
conditions for its
fourth German location.
Key position in southeast Asia
New branch in Thailand
Ready-to-use in one step
Packaging Days in Bangkok
­ NGEL AUSTRIA has raised its market profile in Thailand
E
with the founding of a new sales and service branch
on 1st April 2013. ­ENGEL Machinery (Thailand) Ltd.,
which is located in Bangkok, will also play a key role
in terms of the company’s presence in southeast Asia:
amongst others, sales and service in Indonesia and the
Philippines will be overseen from Bangkok. Demand
for ­ENGEL products continues to grow rapidly across
the region.
In fact, E
­ NGEL has had a sales office in Bangkok for
three years; the staffing level of the office was recently
expanded before it was absorbed by the new branch on
1st April 2013. Managing Director of E
­ NGEL Machinery
(Thailand) is Gilles Lefevre, who will take charge of a
seven-strong team of sales and service personnel in
the Thai capital. Market presence will also be enhanced
in Indonesia with a representative office and two application and service technicians.
“The new structure will enable us to handle current
growth, as well as the expansion we expect in the future,
even more effectively. It will also allow us respond more
flexibly to the rapidly developing markets in southeast
Asia”, says Gilles Lefevre. ­ENGEL Machinery (Thailand)
will benefit from the global production network of the
­ENGEL Group in the process. “Across the spectrum of
injection moulding machines, we are able to guarantee
our clients fast delivery times”, believes Lefevre.
How does a company combine maximum performance,
quality and sustainability while minimising unit costs?
– Visitors to Packaging Days found answers to this
question at the beginning of June 2013 in Bangkok.
­ENGEL Machinery (Thailand) and Frigel Asia Pacific
were inviting clients to the event. In fact, the keys to
success are new and high performance machines,
innovative drive concepts and intelligent system solutions. E
­ NGEL and Frigel Asia Pacific were setting out
the theory and practice of new efficiency potential at
Packaging Days.
“As far as the automobile industry is concerned,
we are already one of the
leading suppliers in the region. Packaging is a fastgrowing area being driven
by fresh momentum from
Indonesia in particular.”
Gilles Lefevre, Managing Director of
­ NGEL Machinery (Thailand).
E
At Packaging Days, margarine tubs were produced using thin-wall
technology and in-mould labelling.
The packaging industry is strongly consumer-driven.
Unit costs and product quality are not the only concerns
in the sector; companies are also under pressure to
develop environmentally friendly packaging with ever
greater functionality. This presents packaging manufacturers and their suppliers with special challenges
that can only be resolved through research and development specific to the sector and close cooperation
between all companies in the value chain. One example
that E
­ NGEL and Frigel were demonstrating live in Bangkok is the production of highly decorated margarine
tubs using thin-wall technology. Thanks to a high level
of process integration, ready-to-use food packaging
was created in a single work step. With all system
components perfectly coordinated, the result is maximum productivity and minimal energy consumption.
_5
ENGEL injection-2013
New dimensions in
production efficiency
­ENGEL at Feiplastic 2013 in São Paulo
Energy efficiency was the big issue for ­E NGEL at
Feiplastic 2013, which took place in the Brazilian city
of São Paulo in May. “Energy efficiency in manufacturing
is a key competitive factor in Brazil”, emphasizes Udo
Löhken, Managing Director of ­ENGEL do Brasil Ltda.
in São Paulo. The highlight of the exhibits on show at
­ENGEL’s stand this year was an ­ENGEL e-mac. Designed to meet the highest standards of precision in
the production of technical parts and electronic components, ­ENGEL’s new all-electric injection moulding
machine is setting new standards around the world.
With acceleration of over 20 m/s², the injection axis of
the E
­ NGEL e-mac is the fastest when compared with
competitor machines. The synchronous movements
of the drive axes also reduce cycle times.
Minimal energy consumption values are not the exclusive preserve of all-electric injection molding machines,
as the hydraulic E
­ NGEL victory 200/80 tech injection
molding machine fitted with energy-saving ecodrive
option proved at Feiplastic. “Before any investment,
we analyze the entire process with the customer”, says
Löhken. From hydraulic through hybrid to all-electric
injection moulding machines with options for specific
industries, ­ENGEL ensures maximum effectiveness and
the ideal price-performance ratio for every application.
Among them were mainly plastics processors and
coating experts, tier suppliers and OEMs for international automobile brands. “Glazing made of transparent
polycarbonate makes a decisive contribution towards
supporting the lightweight construction trend and offers designers many degrees of freedom,” emphasises
Gero Willmeroth, President Sales and Service, ­ENGEL
Machinery Shanghai. “These benefits lead to increasing demand for innovative glazing solutions, which is
reflected in turn in the excellent visitor figures.” E
­ NGEL
geared its dual platen, large-scale ­ENGEL duo machines, which are manufactured in Shanghai for the
Asian market, to the production of large surface area,
low residual stress, multiple-component glazing components at an early stage, and offers tailored equipment
packages under the ­ENGEL glazemelt brand.
“Numerous functions can
be integrated into c
­ omplete
glazing systems made of
plastic thus substantially
reducing system costs. We
see huge potential in this
market sector.”
Gero Willmeroth, President Sales
and Service, E
­ NGEL Machinery
Shanghai
An ­
E NGEL duo
1700 combi M injection moulding
machine
produced polycarbonate automobile glazing parts
at the ­
E NGEL
technology centre.
“Energy costs are much higher in
Brazil than the other BRIC nations.
The only way to be successful on this
market is to invest continually in process efficiency.”
Udo Löhken, Managing Director of ­ENGEL do Brasil
The
Polycarbonate Automotive Glazing Symposium was a
huge success
with 250 visitors.
Light, transparent, efficient
Glazing Symposium in Shanghai
During their joint Polycarbonate Automotive Glazing
Symposium mid-March 2013 in Shanghai, E
­ NGEL and
Bayer MaterialScience once more underlined their global leadership in the field of automotive glazing with
polycarbonates. 250 customers accepted the invitation
to learn more about design trends, material innovations
and economic production technologies and to network.
The guests not only came from China; participants from
Japan and Korea also travelled to the event.
6_ENGEL injection-2013
Preview 2013
Drinktec, Munich/Germany, 16th – 20th September
Expo Plast, Bucharest/Romania, 18th – 21st September
MSV, Brno/Czech Republic, 7th – 11th October
K, Düsseldorf/Germany, 16th – 23rd October
New 950 million euro
turnover record
“Our aim is to be the best at creating customer benefit,”
stresses Dr Peter Neumann, CEO of ­ENGEL Holding:
“Being near to our customers is the key to this. On
one hand this means increasing our global production
capacity and expanding our sales and service structures continuously, and on the other hand it means
consistently aligning our products and technologies to
the individual requirements of country-specific markets
and target sectors. The very positive developments
over the last few years confirm that we are definitely
on the right track with this strategy, and we are keen
to continue in our current direction.” ­ENGEL was able
to increase its market shares all over the world, and
its strong commitment levels in Asia played a major
role here. Technologically, energy-optimised machine
concepts, integrated and automated system solutions,
and industry-specific developments are contributing to
this growth more than anything else.
About 50% of all automated manufacturing cells supplied by European injection moulding machine manufacturers are made by ­ENGEL, meaning ­ENGEL is
now the world’s leading provider of automated injection
moulding processes. The main driving force behind
this focus on innovation is Germany. Automation is
becoming more and more important throughout the
world, however.
Germany the most important market
Approximately 20% of E
­ NGEL’s global turnover is generated by its German branches, making Germany the
most important country-specific market for the machine
builder. Overall, 65% of the company’s turnover is generated by Europe, while the American and Asian markets
are responsible for 17 and 18% of the total turnover
respectively.
In Asia, ­ENGEL generated a turnover of 145 million
euros in 2012/2013 – which was also a new record. The
largest share of this amount was produced in China,
which is the world’s biggest market for injection moulding machines. Although the total sales volume actually
decreased in China last year, there was never a break
in the demand for European high technology. The markets in Southeast Asia are expanding at a particularly
rapid rate, especially those in Thailand and Indonesia.
Continuous investments
­ NGEL has been able to cope with the higher numbers
E
of incoming orders across the world by continuously increasing its production capacity and adding to its sales
structures. Altogether, the company invested more than
67 million euros in different sites in the 2012/2013 financial year. The lion’s share of this money remained
in Austria and was used to expand the main factory in
Schwertberg, enlarge and modernise its large-scale
machine plant in St. Valentin, and introduce line assembly at its robot factory in Dietach.
The biggest investments outside of Austria were the
massive expansion of the two production plants in
Asia. The production capacity at both the large-scale
machine plant in Shanghai and the plant for small and
medium-sized machines in Pyeongtaek City, South Korea, was doubled. E
­ NGEL is the only western injection
moulding machine manufacturer with two production
plants in Asia.
Since it was founded in 1945, ­ENGEL has been 100
percent family-owned. With Dr Peter Neumann as CEO
and Dr Stefan Engleder as CTO, there are two family
members in the management team with operative responsibility. This is now the fourth generation of the
family that owns the company to be involved in its
running, which is excellent for coupling tradition with
innovation.
_7
ENGEL injection-2013
­ NGEL invested 23 million euros in expanding its headquarters
E
in Schwertberg in the 2012/2013 financial year, and further
building work is expected to take place at the site.
­ NGEL set a new record in the 2012/2013
E
financial year by achieving a global turnover of 950 million euros. This represents
a 14% increase for the Group based in
Schwertberg, Austria, in comparison to
the previous year and an overall increase
of 165% since 2009/2010.
16th to 23rd October | Düsseldorf | Hall 15 | Stand B42/C58
New applications, efficiency records,
world premieres: ENGEL at K 2013
With 25 machines on show – 12 of them at our own booth in Hall 15 – ENGEL has
reached a previously unknown innovation density at K 2013. Our system solutions
share high levels of process integration and automation, strong performance, sustainability and process reliability. The results: unrivalled efficiency that let customers solve
tomorrow’s challenges, today. “inject the future” – this is ENGEL’s motto at K 2013.
ENGEL automotive
Cost efficiency in high-volume
lightweight construction
In cooperation with ZF-Friedrichshafen, ENGEL will
reach a new milestone in automotive lightweight construction at K 2013. For the first time, composite brake
pedals will be manufactured in a one-shot process
on an ENGEL insert injection moulding machine with
ecodrive and the ENGEL easix multiple axis industrial
robot. This means previously unreached productivity,
the lowest unit costs, accompanied by weight savings of
approx. 30 percent compared with legacy steel pedals.
ENGEL v-duo – trade fair premiere
and a record
For the first time, ENGEL is exhibiting its vertical largescale machine at a trade fair. An ENGEL v-duo 700 will
8_ENGEL injection-2013
be producing lock covers for the KTM X-Bow sports
car using the RTM method. It is the biggest vertical
machine that ENGEL has ever exhibited at a fair, and
it still surprises visitors with its compact design.
ENGEL @ K 2013
The latest info at all times with microsite & app. Before and during the fair.
Curious about what the ENGEL stand holds in store for you? The exclusive microsite
www. ENGEL-k-online.com gives you the latest facts.
Information: Descriptions and trailers of the ENGEL fair exhibits
Orientation: Clear-cut plan of the trade-fair stand and calendar for machine
demonstrations at K 2013
Overview: Directory of all ENGEL exhibits (including those at partner stands)
Contact: Your direct line to ENGEL
Download: Exhibit flyers, brochures, etc. available for downloading
Latest: Current news about the K fair and ENGEL innovations
The most important facts to go. The ENGEL K app gives you immediate access
to descriptions of all of ENGEL’s exhibits, trailers, demonstration times, and the
stand plan at all times. Another benefit: once installed, the app works without a
live connection to the internet.
Available free of charge on www. ENGEL-k-online.com for Android and iOS.
A new quality of soft touch
Combining three production processes in one, an
ENGEL duo combi M injection moulding machine
redefines the manufacturing process for soft touch
components. Varysoft (Georg Kaufmann) and MuCell
(Trexel) help to create dashboards for Hyundai Kia Automotive in a single step.
ENGEL medical
Three-component hollow bodies
with inlays in a single step
Manufacturing drip chambers for blood transfusions,
with an integrated filter, an ENGEL e-victory combi
three-component injection moulding machine with integrated ENGEL easix sets a new record in process
integration and efficiency. For the first time, hollow
bodies with an inlay will take just one step.
ENGEL packaging
The new ENGEL e-speed:
Fast and powerful
The new ENGEL e-speed 650 injection moulding machine achieves injection speeds of up to 800 mm/s
and still uses very little energy. With its new drive system and energy recovery solution, the hybrid machine
with electrical clamping unit sets new standards in
high-performance applications with high clamping force
requirements. Thin-walled containers will be produced
on a cavity stack mould in a total cycle time of under 4
seconds. (For more information on the new ENGEL
e-speed, refer to page 12.)
High performance with
maximum assurance
The highly-automated manufacturing cell for manufacturing needle holders for insulin pens demonstrates
a process assurance that is hard to beat. The cores
of the 96-cavity mould have a diameter of just 0.3
mm; despite this, a cycle time of approx. 5 seconds
is achieved. To effectively counter core deformation,
the electric injection unit on the ENGEL e-motion is
equipped with a direct drive. This results in a particularly
high injection dynamic.
_9
ENGEL injection-2013
Space-saving large-scale machine with
excellent energy efficiency
An ­
E NGEL e-duo injection moulding machine will
demonstrate how the integration of ­ENGEL gasmelt and
in-mould labelling allows highly-decorated, high-volume packaging parts to be manufactured with minimal
resources, costs and energy. The latest addition to
the ­ENGEL duo machine series, which has performed
successfully over many years, combines the high precision and repeatability of electric machines with the
space-saving double-platen technology of ­ENGEL’s
large-scale machines.
­ENGEL teletronics
The new E
­ NGEL e-motion 30 TL: All-­
electric, highly accurate and tie-bar-less
Pre-moulds are created on an E
­ NGEL e-motion and
then overmoulded with more layers of the same material.
This compensates for sink marks and considerably
reduces the cooling and cycle times.
Combining the benefits of ­ENGEL tie-bar-less technology and all-electric drive technology, the ­ENGEL
e-motion 30 TL responds to the needs of the electronics industry in the low clamping force area. The
new, smallest, tie-bar-less ­ENGEL e-motion with an
injection pressure of 3200 bar achieves an injection
speed of 800 mm/s in the manufacturing of 60x boardto-board plug connectors in a 16-cavity mould. (For
more information on the new ­E NGEL e-motion 30
TL, refer to page 13.)
LIM processing on the dot
From punched part to 4-pin connector
with a rotary table machine
­ENGEL automation
All-electric machines are not always required for maximum precision, as will be proven by a vertical ­ENGEL
insert rotary table machine used to manufacture complex, three-dimensional connectors. Preassembled
punched parts are overmoulded. An E
­ NGEL viper 20
fully exploits the strengths of the latest generation of
­ENGEL linear robots.
Stable CFK lightweight construction
for the highest design requirements
Teamed with an ­ENGEL viper 12, the all-electric ­ENGEL
e-mac fulfils all of the consumer electronics industry’s
wishes at the same time. In a single step, it creates housing shells for portable electronic devices that combine
innovative CFK lightweight design with outdoor robustness, minimal wall thicknesses and high-gloss appearance. The methods used here are the E
­ NGEL organomelt
and variotherm technologies as well as a PVD coating
plant that is integrated inline with the production cell.
­ENGEL technical moulding
Intelligent solutions with a perspective
High optical quality, or an economic manufacturing
process? – ­ENGEL’s multi-layer technology brings both
of these requirements together in the manufacturing of
premium, optical, moulded parts.
10_ENGEL injection-2013
Fully-automated, rework-free, waste-free and avoiding
burrs – an E
­ NGEL e-victory combi impressively demonstrates that ­ENGEL system solutions not only fully meet
these requirements, but also handle LIM multi-component processes safely and efficiently. This is the first
time that iQ weight control has been deployed in LSR
processing. The new ­ENGEL software compensates
for fluctuations in the melt volume online.
New dimensions in linear handling
Maximum stability, dynamism, ease of use and lightweight construction are qualities common to E
­ NGEL
viper robots of all sizes. An innovative design that utilises
laser-welded steel sections has kept the dead weight
of the robots low, enabling the load-bearing capacity
to be raised. In a world premiere, the new E
­ NGEL viper
120 will be seen in action at a trade fair for the first
time. With a nominal load-bearing capacity of 120 kg,
a removal stroke of 3000 mm and a reach of 3550 mm,
this is the biggest linear robot in the
competitive field.
CC 300 – the new E
­ NGEL control unit
‘One-button-control’ is no longer a vision, but reality.
­ NGEL’s new generation of control units is
E
set to be unveiled at K 2013. The CC 300
will make the use of injection moulding
machines and integrated system solutions even safer, even user-friendlier and
even more efficient. E
­ NGEL will be offering all visitors the chance to view the new
operating unit for the first time and try it
out at its stand in hall 15 of the trade fair,
which takes place in Düsseldorf from 16th
to 23rd October.
With the development of the new CC 300 injection
moulding machine control unit, E
­ NGEL has redefined
the interface between man and machine. Man is the
focus and has determined the design – without compromises for sure. The result is the optimal arrangement
of operating elements and functions. ­ENGEL had three
priorities when developing the unit, which allowed it to
achieve this:
1. A focus on customer-oriented functions
2. Optimised ergonomics
3. Realisation using the latest technologies
Customised functions
The new operating unit allows injection moulding machines and manufacturing cells to be controlled according to tasks such as mould changing, or according to
functions such as injecting. The information displayed
concentrates on the essential without having to leave
out the details at the next level if necessary.
The new central operating element, which provides millimetre-precise accuracy and speed-sensitive control for
movements, is called e-move. The clearly defined functions increase safety levels when sensitive movements
are made and significantly reduce the risk of operation
errors. Simply pressing the intelligent operation button
is enough to start the machine and to initiate various
movement sequences. Gerhard Dimmler, Head of Product Research and Development at E
­ NGEL AUSTRIA,
says: “With e-move we are able to fulfil our customers’
wish of making it easier to control injection moulding
processes without reducing efficiency or safety levels.
It has taken ‘one-button-control’ for injection moulding
machines from being a vision to being reality.”
The complete integration of E
­ NGEL viper linear robots
and E
­ NGEL easix multi-axis robots, which ­ENGEL will
continue to use with all the products in its new generation of control units, also contributes to this. The entire
manufacturing cell can be controlled and monitored
centrally from the injection moulding machine’s control
panel. The CC 300 therefore offers efficiency-optimised
interaction between the injection moulding machine
and automation, reduces cycle times, and by doing
this plays a crucial role in maximising competitiveness.
Individualised ergonomics
Seeing, feeling and adapting are key factors as far as
ergonomic improvements are concerned. The new 21"
full HD display, for example, is easier to read and also
offers simpler and user-friendlier navigation.
The information and layout of the different screen pages
can be adapted to suit the user’s individual needs, and
haptically shaped operation elements can be assigned
different functions. The control panel automatically
switches to the position which is best ergonomically
for the individual operator when they log on.
Latest technologies – robust and fast
Thanks to capacitive touch technologies, the new
machine control unit can be operated as easily as a
smartphone and is also just as quick to respond. Safety glass gives it a surface which remains robust and
insensitive to dirt even in unfavourable environments.
The increasing degree of process integration and automation is constantly presenting plastics processors
with new challenges. Acquiring E
­ NGEL’s new CC 300
control unit will ensure that they are as well equipped
as possible for the future and able to program, activate
and monitor complex processes easily with outstanding
precision and safety levels.
_11
ENGEL injection-2013
ENGEL e-speed for demanding packaging applications
Maximum performance
in a new dimension
ENGEL combines the best of two worlds
in the new ENGEL e-speed 650 injection
moulding machine. The new high-speed
machine uses the tried-and-tested technology of the all-electric ENGEL e-motion
and ENGEL e-cap high-performance series and also boasts the performance
of the ENGEL speed series, meaning it
unites outstanding injection speeds with
maximum energy efficiency.
Two aspects were focused on in particular during the
development of this addition to the ENGEL speed series, which is a proven high-performance toggle clamp
series of machines. They were the introduction of higher
clamping forces at the top end of the series and a
new drive concept which guarantees excellent energy
efficiency levels even at high speed. The result is a
650-tonne hybrid machine with an electric clamping
unit and a completely new drive solution. As power
peaks are traditionally not achieved economically when
high clamping forces are combined with short cycle
times, a flywheel acts as an electric reserve in the new
ENGEL e-speed. It stores the braking energy from the
platen movements and transfers this energy back to the
motor as and when it is required for processes such
as the reacceleration of the clamping movements. This
ensures that the power requirements of the drive motor
are covered. When the storage capacity is reached,
the excess energy from the generator is fed back into
the network and not converted into heat by the braking resistance – which is what usually happens with
12_ENGEL injection-2013
older machines. The ENGEL e-speed 650 is therefore
able to run with a relatively low and above all constant
connected load. Power peaks are reliably avoided.
Ejection movements are also executed electronically
on standard models. A hydraulic variation is available
as an option.
On the injection unit side, the ENGEL inline injection
unit, which has particularly high injection dynamics and
an electric plasticising drive, is used, which enables
injection speeds of up to 800 mm per second to be
reached. Screw diameters 80 and 90 are available with
the ENGEL e-speed 650 at the outset.
Thin-wall injection moulding with
ultra-short cycle times
As is the case with all ENGEL’s toggle clamp machines,
the toggle clamp on the e-speed 650 is encapsulated,
which ensures that oil consumption levels are well
below average. Thanks to this special design principle,
the machine achieves extremely short dry cycle times.
The integrated controlled spindle cooling system also
helps to shorten cycle times, which can be less than
four seconds when thin-walled items like containers
and lids are being manufactured for purposes such as
food packaging. The ENGEL e-speed 650 has been
specially equipped with an extensive range of options
(including cooling water and pneumatic options among
other things) to enable it to meet demanding packaging
requirements. In addition, its particularly long opening
stroke allows it to work with large stack moulds without
any problems.
Another development aspect was also heavily focused
on when the new hybrid machine was being designed.
To make it easier to access the mould area, the safety
gate was constructed in two parts. In the case of minor
manual interventions, the machine operator is able to
access the mould area quickly and easily with just one
hand, and only has to open the safety gate completely
when the mould needs to be changed.
­ENGEL e-motion 30 TL extends smaller end of range
All-electric,
highly precise and tie-bar-less
In time for K 2013, ­ENGEL has expanded its range of all-electric ­ENGEL e-motion
injection moulding machines to include a tie-bar-less 30-ton version. The new ­ENGEL
e-motion 30 TL combines maximum precision and energy efficiency with low machine
weight and a compact design, thereby setting a new global standard in the manufacture of precision optical parts and electronic components
­ NGEL has been constructing tie-bar-less, all-electric
E
injection moulding machines for the small clamping
force field for more than 12 years. The machine concept
has now taken a major step forward with the expansion of the series. The experience of selling more than
60,000 tie-bar-less machines in the E
­ NGEL victory and
­ENGEL e-victory series and the findings of extensive
analyses have led to optimisation of the mechanical
properties of the machine components along with a
reduction in the weight of the new machine.
The most striking innovation is that the ­ENGEL e-motion
30 TL has a new kind of ‘intelligent’ frame concept in
place of the double machine frame. This guarantees
very high platen parallelism together with an even distribution of clamping force across the entire mould
fixing platen. The sealed three-point toggle lever with
maintenance-free crank mechanism works with a servomotor to facilitate very short dry cycles of well under
one second.
The servoelectric ejector and mould height adjustment
are integrated into the moving mould fixing platen. As
with all E
­ NGEL e-motion machines, the main movements are servoelectric; this makes it possible to synchronise parallel movements.
As far as injection is concerned, the ­ENGEL e-motion
30 TL is equipped with the established in-line injection unit 50, which now delivers an injection speed
of 800 mm/s. Three barrel diameters are available as
standard: D15, D18 and D20.
With no tie-bars in the way, mould fixing platens can
be used to the hilt. Tie-bar-less technology also makes
mould changes easier and speeds up automation as
direct parts handling is possible from the side.
Promising high precision, efficiency and flexibility, the
­ENGEL e-motion 30 TL is ideal for manufacturing high
quality optical components and electronic parts such
as connectors for mobile devices. At the same time, the
high performance level of the new tie-bar-less machine
offers advantages to producers of other components
requiring a low clamping force.
For optical lenses and
electronic components
With a length of just three metres, the new all-electric
tie-bar-less machine offers a highly compact design
that saves valuable floor space in the production hall.
Moreover, thanks to tie-bar-less technology, it is possible in many applications to use a smaller machine
than mould size would normally dictate.
_13
ENGEL injection-2013
Michael Fischer, Sales Manager (Technologies) at E
­ NGEL AUSTRIA (left) and
Christoph Lhota, Vice President of E
­ NGEL medical division (right)
Intelligent user interfaces
of tomorrow
Gentle touches and direct interaction: multifunctional surfaces help to dissolve the
boundaries between drivers, vehicles, and smartphones in the automobile. Intelligent
plastic surfaces, which are replacing mechanical buttons, sliders, and control dials
with the help of capacitive electronics, are now being paid plenty of attention in other
sectors too, however. Medical technology manufacturers above all see new opportunities here.
What exactly are multifunctional surfaces?
Michael Fischer: The term multifunctional surface
stands for a totally new engineering composite. Injection moulding technology and mechatronics can be
combined to give plastic surfaces functionality and
electronic intelligence. This is made possible by capacitive sensors which utilise the principle of electrical
capacity, the reciprocation between two spatial points
(as in the electric force field between two electrodes).
The electric flux lines within an electric field may be
changed by introducing a conductive object (such
as a fingertip). The capacitive sensors pick up these
changes and respond with a voltage variation that can
be used to initiate a particular function.
What benefits does this mean for medical technology?
Christoph Lhota: Operator controls on electrical medical equipment pose a risk in all environments, including
sterile areas such as operating theatres. Germs and
dirt particles adhere easily to the connection points of
switches, buttons and control knobs on a front panel,
and prove difficult to remove. To produce a continuously
sealed and even interface, a membrane keyboard is often used. However, such keyboards tend to be less than
14_ENGEL injection-2013
robust in practice and therefore constitute an additional
risk factor. With multifunctional surface technology, the
operating elements are hidden behind a continuous,
flat and durably resistant surface. This makes it easier
to fulfil strict hygiene requirements than with legacy
technologies – and at a far lower manufacturing cost.
Which reference applications exist?
Michael Fischer: ­
E NGEL presented its first
close-to-production application at its Symposium last
year. Centre consoles for cars with a multifunctional
interface were manufactured using an E
­ NGEL duo 350
injection moulding machine with reversing plate and
combination mould. A capacitive, three-dimensional
pre-formed film was placed into the mould, overmoulded with PC/ABS using the E
­ NGEL clearmelt method
and then finally flooded with polyurethane, not only
protecting the surface but also providing a premium
appearance. The highly-integrated and automated production cell made one thing very clear at the symposium: multifunctional surface technology does not just
ensure the perfect preconditions for developing ideal
user interfaces, but also achieves previously unknown
production efficiency.
The automobile industry leads the way: in the future, capacitive
sensors will mean that trip computers can be managed even
more conveniently than smart phones.
What makes the manufacturing process so efficient?
Michael Fischer: Starting with capacitive films and
plastic granulate, ready-to-install functional components are created in a single step. Compared with
manufacturing a legacy control unit, where in many
cases more than 100 small parts need to be individually
produced and assembled, multifunctional surface technology reduces the manufacturing costs for the centre
console in the car by at least 30%. Since no assembly
is required, productivity is also increased sharply.
Christoph Lhota: Another advantage is the huge
scope for freedom of design which the technology
offers. Because sensor positions can be freely chosen
within generous limits thanks to flexible print production,
and because the films can be shaped almost arbitrarily,
product designers can place even more emphasis on
usability and ergonomics without increasing unit costs.
When can we expect the first applications?
Michael Fischer: Initial projects are already moving into
the implementation phase in the automotive industry. In
cooperation with our partners, including plastic electronic in Linz/Austria, we are working on enhancing the
lessons learned in the automotive industry for medical
technology. Functional tests were successfully carried
out for the automotive industry in the temperature range
of –40°C to +85°C.
Multifunctional surface technology will revolutionise the manufacturing of control units. Opening up new opportunities in medical technology to comply with hygiene requirements even more
successfully in the future.
What potential do you see for medical technology?
Christoph Lhota: The potential is huge. Principally,
multifunctional surface technology is suitable for any
electrical medical technology device that needs to be
manufactured in large numbers, for example, blood
sugar measuring devices, insulin and infusion pumps,
or respiratory therapy systems.
_15
ENGEL injection-2013
Free space fully exploited
Anton Kft., which is based in Zalaegerszeg, Hungary, can now place four injection units
at once on an ­ENGEL victory injection moulding machine with a clamping force of just
400 tonnes, while at the same time combining multi-component injection moulding
with insert technology. Thanks to tie-bar-less technology, the plastics processor has
been able to cut down its production costs and also reduce the amount of floor space
its manufacturing cells take up. This high efficiency levels impressed the jury of the
­ENGEL HL Awards 2012. Anton won the bronze HL Award.
Highly complex multi-component parts are one of
Anton’s specialities. As it makes its own moulds, the
company, which was founded in 1990, is able to offer a
complete range of services, from the design stage to the
process development stage to mass production. “We
have always focused on multi-component technology
and are now one of Hungary’s leading providers in this
area,” stresses László Kendli, the production manager
at Anton. “Our international customers in particular appreciate the fact that we are able to provide them with
a mould construction service and injection moulding
from the same place.” Bosch is one of the company’s
biggest customers. Anton has worked with the global
technology giant for more than ten years and, among
other things, makes power tool casings for it, such
as the casings for the jigsaws in the PST series. As
products aimed at DIY enthusiasts which are faced with
tough competition in home improvement stores on a
daily basis, the tools have to be both highly functional
and attractive in appearance. The casing therefore plays
a key role. Different colours and materials are combined
using a very economical, integrated process. After all,
the price of an item also has a significant effect on how
competitive it will be when it appears on the shelves.
Developing efficient and economical production solutions
together: Franz Pressl and
­András Borszéki of E
­ NGEL, and
László Kendli, Andrea Lendvai,
Arnold Farkas, and Norbert
­Farkas of Anton (from left to right).
16_ENGEL injection-2013
Four injection units positioned compactly
The jigsaw casings are produced using four-component
injection moulding and insert technology, and the mould
is accordingly large. It measures, 1250 mm x 910 mm x
900 mm and weighs, 3000 kg. Although the required
clamping force is only 350 tonnes, plans for injection
moulding machines with a clamping force of over 600
tonnes were initially drawn up. ­ENGEL, however, tried
using a 400-tonne machine for the production process,
and was rewarded with the order for the injection moulding system involved here. The key to achieving this?
As the clamping units on the E
­ NGEL victory injection
moulding machines don’t have tie bars, mould fixing
platens can use all the space right up to the edge of
the machines. This means that large moulds fit on
relatively small machines. András Borszéki, the sales
manager at ­ENGEL Hungaria, says: “It’s no longer the
mould dimensions which dictate the size of the injection moulding machine, but the clamping force that’s
actually required.”
Another advantage of the barrier-free clamping unit is
the fact that the four injection units can be positioned
compactly. Two are vertical, one is horizontal, and one
is placed in a piggyback position.
The ­E NGEL victory 1050H/330W/200V/400 combi
injection moulding machine produces a left half and
a right half of a casing per cycle in a 2+2-cavity rotary
table mould. An E
­ NGEL viper 20 robot inserts a metal
sleeve into each cavity at the beginning, which is later
used to attach the saw blade at the assembly stage.
Once the mould has closed, the basic forms are injected in the lower half of the mould. These are green
polypropylene and contain 30 % glass fibres. The mould
then opens and transfers the pre-moulded parts to the
top half, where core pull technology is used to add the
three other components: the red Bosch logo, which
is also polypropylene reinforced with glass fibres, and
TPE S in black and grey on the handles. After a total
cycle time of 36.8 seconds, the ­ENGEL viper 20 robot
removes the two halves of the casing while putting a
new set of inserts in place.
As mould fixing platens on the tiebar-less ­ENGEL victory injection
moulding machines can use all the
space right up to the edge of the
machines, large moulds fit on relatively small machines.
Quality control after the injection
moulding process. By investing in
state-of-the-art technology, Anton
has been able to reduce its proportion of rejects significantly.
“Quality is the most important thing, and our customers’ requirements have become considerably more
demanding in the last few years,” stresses Anton’s
quality manager, Norbert Farkas. “The surface quality is just as important as the dimensional accuracy
of the parts.” While high-quality surfaces are mainly
achieved through optimising the mould, the precision
of the injection moulding machine and the way parts
are handled are what count when it comes to attaining dimensional accuracy. Norbert Farkas adds: “By
investing in a new manufacturing cell, we’ve been able
to reduce our proportion of rejects to less than 5 %.
With our old systems, this figure was 12 to 16 %. This
improvement is primarily down to the way the new
system handles parts.”
Positioning accuracy reduces cycle times
The trademark of the ­ENGEL viper generation is maximum stability combined with outstanding dynamics.
New software features such as vibration control, which
reduces the natural oscillation of the robots and increases tracking and positioning accuracy in doing so, are
responsible for this. Zoltán Vincze, Anton’s technical
manager, says: “The viper 20 does remain stable while
working for a long period of time, without us having to
readjust it. This is not the case with other linear robots.”
András Borszéki adds, “The E
­ NGEL viper robots also
offer new ways to optimise the interaction between injection moulding machines and robots to make systems
more efficient.” As the robots’ control unit is completely
integrated in the CC 200 control unit of ­ENGEL injection
moulding machines, a robot can access the machine’s
parameters directly and start the insertion and removal
process before the mould has fully opened. From his
calculations, Arnold Farkas, Anton’s production team
manager, is able to say: “This cuts our cycle times by
about 3 %. If a large number of units is being produced,
this alone will have an effect on the unit cost.”
Design and function: Customer Bosch has high
­demands.
Thanks to tie-bar-less technology, Anton can now place four
injection units compactly on an
­ENGEL victory injection moulding machine with a clamping
force of just 400 tonnes
_17
ENGEL injection-2013
(Photo: Thorsten Ulonska, Bielefeld)
­ NGEL delivered a total
E
of four tie-bar-less
­­ENGEL victory injection
moulding machines to
Hadi-Plast in Hövelhof in
2012.
Improved energy balance,
optimised workflow
In an orchestra, you can book anything from a soloist to a quartet: as a specialist
for technical parts made of thermoplastics, Hadi-Plast needs to master the various
scores created by its customers while at the same time combining maximum quality
with a flexible supply chain and the lowest possible unit costs. To continue mastering increasingly complex compositions in the future, the injection moulder – based
in Hövelhof in Germany’s eastern Westphalia region, expanded its machine farm and
invested in four tie-bar-less ­ENGEL victory injection moulding machines.
“Our company has always stood for precision products that are subject to numerous internal and external
tests”, emphasises Ralf Dirks, the managing director of
Hadi-Plast GmbH. “The new ­ENGEL injection moulding
machines not only allow us to maintain the standard
without any effort, but to actually extend it.” Hadi-Plast’s
customers come from a variety of branches, including
18_ENGEL injection-2013
automotive, fitting and device construction, medical
technology and furniture manufacturing. The required
profile is similar for all of them: maximum precision and
just-in-time delivery.
One of the biggest challenges that Ralf Dirks and his 25
staff face daily is zero error production, which is being
increasingly demanded in the automotive industry, as
well as the continually increasing energy costs. “To
be able to maintain our competitiveness in the longterm, we need to compensate for rising costs with
the help of innovative processing technologies”, says
Dirks. Four ­ENGEL victory injection moulding machines
with clamping forces of 50, 80, 120 and 180 tonnes
– each equipped with ecodrive and sprue pickers –
were commissioned in the course of 2012; two further
machines – with 28 and 50 tonnes clamping force –
were ordered in May 2013.
Smaller machines thanks to tie-bar-less
technology
All E
­ NGEL victory injection moulding machines at
­H adi-Plast are equipped with the ecodrive energy-­
saving option. “The injection moulding machines are
self optimising and regulating in terms of energy consumption to match the specific part”, says Thomas
Rottkamp, who is responsible for production planning.
“That means that we never require 100 percent performance from the machines, but only what we really need
to produce a component. This considerably reduces
the energy consumption compared with conventional,
hydraulic injection moulding machines without energy
saving options while at the same time helping to achieve
a far lower noise level in the production shop.”
“Depending on the machine type and the application,
ecodrive reduces the energy consumption of E
­ NGEL
hydraulic injection moulding machines by at least 30
percent”, says Christoph Hölscher, a sales engineer
with ­ENGEL Deutschland. The key to this is, among
other things, avoiding energy loss. While the machine
is idle, during cooling phases for example, the servo-pumps switch off and no energy is consumed. “It
is unusual for people in production to be happy about
things that aren’t moving”, says Friedhelm Dirks with
a twinkle in his eye. To create an overview, Hadi-Plast
performed numerous comparative measurements. “On
average, the consumption values for our products are
between 43 and 55 percent lower with ecodrive than
what we need with hydraulic machines without servo-hydraulics”, says Ralf Dirks. “This means that we
can operate twice as many machines with the same
power consumption. In future, we will only invest in
energy-optimised machines. For us, energy efficiency
also means securing our future.”
(Photos: Wortart, Almut Thöring, Hövelhof)
“Because we need to manufacture with a large number
of high-volume moulds, due to design considerations,
we benefit greatly from the tie-bar-less technology of
our new injection moulding machines”, says plant manager Friedhelm Dirks. “In many cases we can deploy
machines with lower clamping force.” For example, we
now use a 4-cavity mould with particularly long core
pulls to manufacture connecting parts on the ­ENGEL
victory 330/80 tech with 80 tonnes clamping force.
Previously we needed a 150 tonne machine purely
because of the mould’s dimensions. “Thanks to tiebar-less technology we can reduce the clamping force
for this application by nearly 50 percent. What this
means for us is less floor space needed, less energy
consumption and also lower investment outlay in new
projects”, says Friedhelm Dirks.
Job sizes vary at Hadi-Plast between 1000 and 50 million. Only one third of the products are long runners; the
other moulds only produce between six and 48 hours.
This makes tooling times an important efficiency factor.
“On average, free access to the mould area saves us
half an hour”, says Ralf Dirks. “All told, we have thus
been able to accelerate our complete order processing
and optimise our workflows.”
Energy savings of up to 55 percent
For many of its products, Hadi-Plast can now
use smaller injection moulding machines than
previously required for the mould size.
Delighted with the efficiency of the new E
­ NGEL machines (from left to right): managing
director Ralf Dirks with Thomas Rottkamp, who is responsible for engineering at Hadi-Plast
GmbH, as well as Friedhelm Dirks, who is responsible for production.
_19
ENGEL injection-2013
“We discover
new potential every day”
With networked machines and transparent
processes, the fourth industrial revolution
is providing a further boost in efficiency and
quality for plastic processing companies.
Manufacturing execution systems (MES)
are forming the interface between production and management levels more and
more frequently. Geberit’s Pottenbrunn
branch has opted for ­­ENGEL e-­factory 2
and has so far been exploiting more optimisation potential than ever before.
“Our aim was to be able to set up our systems more
quickly and continuously improve our production
processes by making them more transparent,” says
Michael Höchtl, a process engineer for Geberit Produktions GmbH & Co. KG based in Lower Austria,
when stating the most important reasons behind the
company’s decision to start using ­ENGEL e-factory 2
in 2012. With the launch of Release 2, E
­ NGEL has
added more functions to its MES solution for the injection moulding industry. As a test customer, Geberit’s
branch in Pottenbrunn has been one of the first to use
the new version.
Geberit, whose headquarters are in Rapperswil-Jona in
Switzerland, is Europe’s leading manufacturer and supplier of sanitary parts and systems. The group employs
approximately 6100 staff across the globe, and 350 of
these work in Pottenbrunn, where 39 injection moulding
machines with clamping forces ranging from 40 to 600
tonnes enable the site to make a very wide selection of
products. It manufactures just about everything from
small and delicate internal components for bathroom
fittings to lengths of pipe with diameters of 250mm for
building drainage systems.
Centralised data management
reduces set-up times
As screw threads and connection sizes vary from
country to country, the site works on a total of 1300
different moulded products. This means frequent mould
changes and that there is a huge number of data sets.
Michael Höchtl says: “Before we started using e-factory,
20_ENGEL injection-2013
we had a separate diskette for every one of the 1300
items. The person setting up the machine had to find the
right diskette first of all and then print out a hard copy.”
In addition to being time-consuming, this meant there
was a high risk of error, because there was sometimes
more than one set of set-up data for one item. “e-factory
has put an end to this vicious circle,” Höchtl continues.
Michael Höchtl and his team began introducing
­e­-­factory in March 2012, and the site has been using
the MES solution productively since November. 28
injection moulding machines are now connected to
e-factory 2 and 1100 data sets have been added, while
older machines and moulds which are only used very
rarely have been purposely left out for the time being.
“The central management of part data sets alone has
resulted in higher productivity levels within a very short
space of time,” explains Michael Höchtl.
The data module of the E
­ NGEL MES solution allows part
data sets to be managed centrally and then transferred
to the injection moulding machines online. There is only
one active data set for each mould, and any changes to
a data set are recorded in its history. “The fact that we
can now process and edit the data sets while sitting at a
desk is a great advantage to us,” says Höchtl. “It means
that we’re no longer wasting productive machine time.”
Process optimisation
performance indicators
Geberit uses a second module of the ­ENGEL MES
solution for continuous process optimisation. e-factory
Monitor sends meaningful performance indicators and
status information such as production progress data,
production stop causes and machine alarms directly
to the office of those responsible for production. They
are able to counteract any deviations from plans immediately, and in many cases before rejects are produced. Michael Höchtl says: “Our previous PDA system
simply told us whether a machine was producing or
not. With e-factory we’re now informed of the reason
for a production stop as well. We analyse the error
causes and gain important information for optimising
our processes from that.”
It is however precisely this new dimension of transparency that caused Michael Höchtl to worry a little when
Geberit first began to use e-factory. He was concerned
(Bild: Geberit)
Geberit makes a wide range of
­sanitary and piping systems at its
Pottenbrunn site in Austria.
about how the company’s employees would react to
this permanent checking. As it quickly transpired, his
worries were unfounded: “At our company, every employee is responsible for the quality levels achieved
in their area, and the MES helps them to produce the
quality levels required and even to increase them in
the long term.”
Five employees in the injection moulding department
are currently working with e-factory 2, and their aim is
to exploit the potential of the system as completely as
possible. Michael Höchtl says: “We discover new opportunities nearly every day. We weren’t aware of how
great the potential really was until we actually started
using it.”
The modular structure of the MES solution makes it very
easy for plastics processors to embrace the digital age
gradually. Doris Eder, the project manager for ­ENGEL
e factory at ­ENGEL in Schwertberg, says, “We analyse
the individual needs of each customer and collaborate
with them to work out which modules are going to help
them most at which moment in time.”
Geberit have decided to implement two modules to
begin with, for example. “There are lots of different
factors which are helping us to increase the overall
efficiency of our manufacturing thanks to e-factory,”
Michael Höchtl says. “It is a continuous process. Simply
implementing an MES doesn’t give you an advantage
over your competitors any more. What’s crucial is how
successful you are at exploiting the opportunities offered by the system.”
A well-oiled team: As a test user of the new version of E
­ NGEL e
­ -factory,
Michael Höchtl of Geberit works closely with Doris Eder of ENGEL.
­­
Networked: 28 injection moulding machines at the Pottenbrunn factory are now connected to E
­ NGEL e-factory 2.
Risky: Before the introduction of ­ENGEL e-factory 2, each
of the Geberit’s 1300 moulded items had its own diskette.
Transparent: Those responsible for production receive all
the most important performance indicators, production stop
causes and machine alarms directly on their PC.
_21
ENGEL injection-2013
A successful partnership spanning eight years: Mariusz Andrzejak and Piotr Nachilo of
­E NGEL POLSKA, Tadeusz Sanocki and Marek Sanocki, owners of SPLAST, Christian
Pum, CSO of E
­ NGEL AUSTRIA, Agnieszka Czubat, SPLAST’s Head of Process T
­ echnology,
Maciej Socha, Maintenance Manager at SPLAST, and Herbert Hofmair, Head of ­Technical
Moulding Sales at E
­ NGEL AUSTRIA (from left to right).
iQ weight control detects changes in melting volume and
material viscosity and automatically compensates for them
in the same shot. The result is injection moulded parts
which are always of outstanding quality.
Outstanding reproducibility
levels included
SPLAST, which is based in Jedlicze, Poland, has increased its injection moulding
production capacity by acquiring three
new system solutions from E
­ NGEL. The
automobile component and technical part
manufacturer is among the first to use iQ
weight control, E
­ NGEL’s new software for
online process control.
­ NGEL supplied SPLAST in southeast Poland with a
E
total of three injection moulding systems. They included
a large-scale E
­ NGEL duo 5550/900, an E
­ NGEL v­ ictory
2050H/200V/80L/400 combi for three-component injection moulding, and an E
­ NGEL e victory 440/120
injection moulding machine equipped with iQ weight
control.
SPLAST is a complete injection moulding service provider, including product design, mould manufacturing,
process development, serial production and assembling. Its customers include reputable international
corporations and OEMs operating in the automobile,
white good, household item, and electronic industries,
and the main materials to be processed are technical plastics like glass fibre reinforced polyamide and
POM. Tadeusz Sanocki, managing director and owner
of SPLAST, stresses: “We are at home in challenging
and innovative industries. The continuous monitoring
of quality-relevant process parameters is an important competition factor to us. With iQ weight control,
processes now monitor themselves and automatically
22_ENGEL injection-2013
readjust if necessary. This means that we have been
able to reduce the risk of rejects drastically, because
we are producing outstanding quality continuously.”
Relevant process parameters
will be readjusted automatically
The software, which was developed by E
­ NGEL for injection moulding machines with electric injection units,
analyses the pressure profile at screw positions in real
time during the injection process and compares the
measured values with a reference cycle online. Based
on this, the system computes a new set of process
parameters which allow changes in the melt volume
and material viscosity – the two most important factors
when it comes to the quality of moulded parts – to be
detected immediately. If there are deviations from the set
values, the relevant process parameters will be readjusted automatically. Changes in environmental conditions
and raw materials are counterbalanced before a reject
can be produced, and online monitoring also reduces
the amount of work for the machine operator.
SPLAST and E
­ NGEL have worked together since 2005.
Marek Sanocki, also an owner and the technical managing director at SPLAST, says: “We have dealt with the
same contact at E
­ NGEL since the beginning. ­ENGEL is
not just a supplier to us, it is also an important development partner, and we particularly value its high levels
of system solution competence, which encompass its
injection moulding machines, as well as process technology, mould development, and automation”.
55 years ago, Kellpla took delivery of its first E
­ NGEL injection moulding machine.
The first machine was delivered by horse
Kellpla thanks E
­ NGEL for 55 years
of cooperation in an atmosphere of trust
With a big surprise up their sleeves, Kellpla from Venlo in the Netherlands visited its
injection moulding machine supplier, ­ENGEL, in Schwertberg. To say thank you for 55
years of close cooperation in an atmosphere of trust, Kim Kelleners and Hay Kelleners,
the owner and managing direction of Kellpla, handed over a sculpture by Dutch artist
Fons Schobbers made of red Portuguese marble to ­ENGEL.
“When I saw the sculpture in Fons Schobbers’ workshop, I immediately knew that it belonged in the foyer
of the ­ENGEL technology centre in Schwertberg”, said
Hay Kelleners. “My father, the founder of our company,
was the first to befriend the Schwarz family. I would
like to express my thanks to ­ENGEL today by handing
over this gift.”
“Kellpla is one of our longest-standing customers and
oldest friends”, Georg Schwarz emphasised. “Our two
family businesses have grown together down the years.”
He can still clearly recall how the first injection moulding machine for Kellpla was transported for part of the
journey on a horse-drawn cart back in 1958.
In the name of the entire owning family and the ­ENGEL
workforce, Georg Schwarz said thank you to the Kelleners family. The foyer at the E
­ NGEL technology centre
has a new highlight. “I want to invite people to interact
with my art”, emphasises Fons Schobbers, who made
the trip to Schwertberg along with the Kelleners family.
“There is something new to discover from any angle.
After all, an injection moulding machine doesn’t immediately reveal its potential at first glance.”
The new highlight in the foyer at the ­ENGEL technology centre in
Schwertberg. Kim Kelleners (4th from the right) and Hay Kelleners
(3rd from the right) along with the artist, Fons Schobbers (3rd from
the left) jointly handed over the sculpture. “Our family business are
joined by a long-standing friendship”, said Georg Schwarz (right).
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ENGEL injection-2013
­­E NGEL Injection_en/ndes/09-2013
­­ENGEL AUSTRIA GmbH | A-4311 Schwertberg | tel: +43 (0)50 620 0 | fax: +43 (0)50 620 3009
e-mail: sales@­ENGEL.at | www.­ENGELglobal.com
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